As I have often stated over the years, ‘truth’ is often hidden in plain sight and it is most typically done so via movies and entertainment classified as ‘fictional’ or ‘make-believe’. One of the greatest movies to capture truths in plain sight, yet portrayed in a brilliant metaphoric fashion is the Epic 1934 classic, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, written by L. Frank Baum. The Wiz was and is originally a broad-way spin of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ from an African American perspective. In 1978, a spin and adaptation of ‘The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz’ was brought to the big screen, starring iconic names such as Diana Ross, Micheal Jackson, Nipsy Russel, Ted Ross and Mable King to name a few!

On December 3, 2015, NBC premiered ‘The Wiz Live’, which has combined some of the old and added some things new! Regardless of which version of adaptation we have seen or preferred. The underline message behind the production is more than what meets the eye. I happen to think that it is not only the message behind the productions that we should pay attention to but the reasons behind the date and time for the release and/or re-release of these ‘truths in plain sight’ presentation. I will reserve my opinions about either. The main purpose for this entry is to go beyond the hype and even controversy behind the most recent spin on The Wiz. I would like to shed light on the symbolism and behind the main characters of the film. Of course, you (the reader) are more than welcome to share your thoughts on the matter.

THE SYMBOLISM

What is "Oz" a symbol for? Ounces.

What is measured in ounces? Gold.

What is the yellow brick road? Bricks or ingot bars of gold.

The character known as the Straw Man represents that fictitious, ALL CAPS, legal fiction - a PERSON, the Federal U.S. Government created with the same spelling as your birth name.

Remember what the Straw Man wanted from the Wizard of Oz? A Brain! No juristic person - legal fiction - paper corporation has a brain because he/she has no breath of life.

What did he get in place of a brain? A certificate: a Birth Certificate for a new legal creation. He was proud of his new legal status, plus all the other legalisms he was granted. Now he becomes the epitome of the brainless sack of straw who was given a certificate in place of a grain of common sense.

Now, what about the Tin Man? Does Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) recall anything to mind? The poor TIN Man just stood there mindlessly doing his work until his body literally froze up and stopped functioning.He worked himself to death because he had no heart nor soul.

He's the heartless and emotionless creature robotically carrying out his daily task as though he were already dead. He's the ox pulling the plow and the mule toiling under the yoke. These days, his task masters just oil him nightly with beer and place him in front of a hypnotic television until his very existence no longer has any meaning or value. His masters keep him cold on the outside and heartless on the inside in order to control any emotion or feeling that might arise.

The Cowardly Lion was always too frightened to stand up for himself. Of course, he was a bully and a big mouth when it came to picking on those smaller than he. (Have you ever noticed how bullies are really the biggest cowards? They act as though they have great courage, but, in reality, have none at all. They roar, but with no teeth of authority to back them up.) When push came to shove, the Cowardly Lion always buckled under and whimpered when anyone of any size or stature challenged him. He wanted courage from the Grand Wizard, so he was awarded a medal of "official" recognition. Now, although remaining a coward, his official status allowed him to be a bully, but with officially recognized authority. (He's not unlike the Attorneys who hide behind the Middle Courts of the Temple Bar.) et al ad infinitum.

What about the trip through the field of poppies? Did you notice how this had no narcotic effect on the Straw Man (no brain) or the Tin Man (no heart or soul)? They weren't real people, so drugs could not influence them.

The Wizard of Oz was written at the turn of the century, so how could the author have known America was going to be drugged? The Crown has been playing the drug cartel game for centuries. Just look up the history of Hong Kong and the Opium Wars. The Crown already had valuable experience conquering all of China with drugs, so why not the rest of the world?

What was the Emerald City? The Federal Reserve System.

Who finally exposed the Wizard for what he really was? Toto, the ugly (or cute, depending on your perspective) and somewhat annoying little dog. Toto means "in total, all together; Latin in toto."

What was it that the witch wanted after she alleged that the little dog had bitten her? TOTO. ... everything. Notice how Toto was not scared of the Great Wizard's theatrics, yet he was so small in size, compared to the Wizard, that no one seemed to notice him?

The smoke, flames and holographic images of Oz were designed to frighten people into doing as the Great Wizard commanded.

Toto simply padded over, looked behind the curtain (the COURT, etc.), saw it was a scam, started barking until others paid attention to him and came to see what all the barking was about. Who was behind the curtain? Just an ORDINARY PERSON controlling the levers that created the illusion of the Great Wizard's power and authority. When Toto pulled back the curtain and completely exposed him, the charade was at an end. (The veil hiding the corporate legal fiction and its false courts was removed.)

The Wizard's game was UP. What was he after all? ... a con-man. A FRAUD.

We can see, in this tale, just how loud the bark from a little dog can be.

How about YOUR bark? How big is it? Most of us remain silent and wait to be given whatever food and recognition, if any, by our legal master.

Let us not forget those pesky flying monkeys. What perfect mythical creatures to represent the Bar Association Attorneys who attack and control the little people for the Great Crown Wizard, the powerful and grand Bankers of Oz: GOLD!

How, at last, did Dorothy get home? She simply clicked her heels. She always had the power, and SO DO WE!

What would it take to expose the Wizard for what he is, tearing away his veils? We each need only a brain, a heart and soul --- and COURAGE.

Then, and perhaps of the greatest importance, we need to learn HOW to WORK TOGETHER. Only "in TOTO," WORKING TOGETHER as ONE Body of the King of Kings, (whatever name or form that may take for each of us), can we have the freedom given under God's (God is also Dog spelled backwards)Law... All are welcomed to weigh in!

In the coming days I'd like to share some examples of Spiritual Cinema, which, due to their age, and relative obscurity, you may never have seen before. I encourage you to seek them out.

As spiritually focused beings, we often feel alone. Sometimes, to all practical purposes, we are alone in what we are feeling or experiencing. In such moments, even our most caring friend may be unable to say the words we need to hear. That's when it may help to sit down by ourselves with an album, a book or a film which can say what we need to hear.

This is one of those films.

STEPPENWOLF [1974] dir. Fred Haines

Cast: Max Von Sydow

Dominque Sanda

Pierre Clementi

Carla Romanelli

Screenplay by Fred Haines, from the novel by Hermann Hesse

It's hard to believe this masterpiece was critically slammed upon release in 1974. Sometimes it takes a while for people to realize that they are dealing with something remarkable. A beautiful, intelligent, sensitive film that delicately grapples with some of the most difficult issues a spiritually inclined person is likely to find themselves faced with in life.

The story takes place in the 1920s. It's about a lonely intellectual named Harry, a writer by profession. He is introspective and melancholy, and sometimes wallows in thoughts about suicide. When he was a young man, his best friend at university, also a writer, committed suicide, and this has left a hole in his soul, haunting him. Harry, although outwardly "respectable" is a misfit, who always seems to stick out like a sore thumb, saying the wrong thing and offending others when in "polite" company. He wants to be noble, and this has caused deep conflict in his being, making him feel guilty and ashamed of his animal nature, whom he perceives as a wolf. One night on his lonely wanderings he meets a sensitive and caring prosititute named Hermine in a tavern who reaches out to him, and, together with her friends, shows Harry how to redeem himself, and how to laugh - something which he has completely forgotten how to do.

If you are unfamiliar with the lead actors, you're in for a treat. These are people who will remind you that acting can be Art! My personal favorite in the cast is the great Pierre Clementi, who plays the charming and hedonistic jazz musician Pablo. Max Von Sydow is probably one of the greatest actors who has ever appeared in films. He is the only actor in the cast who has made any films outside of Europe. Dominique Sanda is an incredibly beautiful actress with an amazing gentle quality. Her acting comes straight from her Soul. Look nto her eyes - she makes you feel naked. Not in a bad way, though. Carla Romanelli has a warm vixenish quality, sexy in a friendly, playful way. These actors are all masters of their craft, and they give life to characters who will stay with you. You'll find yourself looking for other films these actors have made once you've seen their work in Steppenwolf.

Steppenwolf is a spiritual odyssey that leads you into the labyrinth of dark and difficult emotions that we are all likely to experience: loss, melancholy, alienation, and even suicide, then back into the Light of renewal, love, hope, and humor. This film is wise and gentle, and it doesn't judge. Obviously not for everyone; but if you have yearnings in your soul, have ever suffered from alienation (and what Spiritual or intelligent being hasn't?), have felt suicidal or lost someone to suicide, this film will almost assuredly speak eloquently and intimately to you. It also handles Hermine's profession with tact and sensitivity. Dominique Sanda has lines of dialoguie which will make you feel for the plight of women who feel this profession is their only alternative. Indeed, in post WWI Europe, many young women truly did have no other alternative. Pablo is the most modern of the characters. He is frankly bisexual (as are the women), and meaningfully quotes Rolling Stones lyrics! He has a reckless lust for life and is at home in the underworld, getting high and stealing cars - but even so, has a noble, enlightened, tender side to his character. I'm still a little bit in love with him.

Filmed in Basel, Kanton Basel Stadt Switzerland, and Hamburg, Germany. The locations are beautiful and perfect for the story. The ambiance of the 1920's is perfectly captured by the fashions and the music. There is partial nudity, which is tasteful and will only offend those who object to all nudity. Likewise, the violence is extremely minimal and stylized, and should not offend anyone. Ahead of its time, people are a bit more sophisticated now, and beginning to re-discover this gem. It is available on DVD. Dual language: English and German, w/ English subtitles. You can also find it on various torrent trackers, if you're a pirate.

The novel by Hermann Hesse is a classic and quite an easy read. Hesse was a popular author in the 1960s and 1970s, and influenced many creative and spiritual people, including me. In his lifetime, Hesse was close friends with the psychologist Carl Gustav Jung. Hesse's writings embrace both Eastern mysticism and Jungian psychology. Steppenwolf is the best introduction to his writing, if you are curious.

Just one word of caution: This film is a Magic Theatre, for madmen only. Or so the film itself claims!

Send me a message if you'd like to see this movie, and need help finding it. I'd love to hear your feedback after viewing it too.

I know it's been out for awhile, but I couldn't help myself. The direction movies are going today seem to be spiraling into darkness, with all of the things people are becoming used to exposing their eye gates and ear gates to. It's become really negative. Well, this movie is the exact oppisite of that, it's a shining star in a sea of darkness if you like metaphors. Theres something about this film, that just eminates raw purity! It's so refreshing to see this in a movie! Albeit, it is a story about good fighting evil, and you would think that this trait is typical of this sort of film, but I think it has to do more with the spiritual state or the intentions, of the actors, and directors, is this right? I would highly reccomend this film!

In my dream it is known that the free will radicals are a group of Incarnated other worldly people and entities of all kinds that have chosen to manifest in physical form to war with a force unknown, and unseen to me. This group of soldiers are a covert group of radicals that is rebelling against what the will of the greater Armey.. Even though the army is on the side of the people there is certain things they will not do that the rebels believe should happen for the good of the people. So there on the same side but disagree on how to go about warring with this force. I do not know if this unknown force is made of one kind of being, or more; Or a group of entities that can manifest as anything they choose. They seem to be covert in there secret efforts to fight these unseen wayward forces who seek to enslave or control others. The teams of radical soldiers are all different looking kinds of beings. One had the head of a wolf eel. They all had the same black armor on much like ours like vests shin and fore arm guards. All black an they all were wearing head gear like communicating devices. They had some kind of ship that was black, and shiney, and had pale blue, and pale red lights on the sides. The insides were full of button looking things on the walls, and there were small glass windows that made up cells to keep prisoners. One of them lay on the floor in the ship, injured, and his comrads were sad and hoping he makes it. The ship was sort of a triangle that had no point and had other shapes coming off of it. They landed in a really dark, other worldly forest. Im not sure what they were doing there. A mission I guess. And then in the clearing some distance away from there.. I looked like some kind of train yard or storage yard..Then I was no longer observing but was participating. I was then in a line with about twenty other people. We were all shackled together in a like and there were about four other people ahead of me. There was a person of some kind taking us against out wills. All of a sudden a giant lightning streaked across the sky and touched the ground right ahead of us. Some how the slave master guy was gone or dead and all of the people in shackles including me crawled backwards on stomachs under an abandon train car. I remember thinking how we were going to escape with the chains on.

Balthazar Blake is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath. Balthazar can't do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler, a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protege. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It'll take all the courage Dave can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes The Sorceror's Apprentice.

I've got to say that over-all, I liked the movie! It's full of humor, action and 'real life' truths of our multidimensional existence. In fact there were even lines in the movie that were verbatim to the information that I had shared in past youtube videos regarding my astral projection and out of body experiences! Proving once again, that 'truth' is stranger than fiction and the truth of some of the most 'off-the-wall' concepts (from a human perspective) is often hidden in plain sight via the movies.